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The control surface is the primary element of the M-16DX

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• Review
• Manufacturer's Description

Digital mixers can prove a headache for those who are used to traditional studio gear. With an analogue desk, once you've learnt one channel strip, you've usually learnt the lot, but with digital, you're suddenly confronted with Shift, Utility, Enter and other keys more usually associated with computer keyboards.

These are concerns that apply to Edirol's latest bright idea: a portable, 16-channel digital mixer with audio interface and effects.

It's certainly a neat little pair of units - audio I/O is handled by a rackmountable module, while mixing is afforded by a control surface that links to the rack via a 15-pin D-Sub cable.

At the front, there are four XLR balanced mic inputs with one button assigning phantom power to all or none, and each is paired with a balanced TRS line in socket. There's also digital I/O - coaxial or optical connection - along with the D-Sub socket.

At the rear, there are the usual main, aux send/return and alternative outs, along with phono connectors for 2-track out and Aux Return 2. Aux Return 1 has quarter-inch jack sockets.

Here also lies the USB socket with which you hook up the unit to your computer.

Mixing

So far, so good, but it's the mixing desk that leads to some head-scratching. A quick examination reveals that the MIDI sockets absent from the audio module are also absent from the mixer. While the M-16DX can receive MIDI In via USB for software updates and patches, it doesn't have multi-port capability.

Edirol UK ventures that the device is primarily a digital mixer and computer I/O facilities are secondary to that. Still, it would have been nice to have MIDI ports, though their inclusion would likely mean a higher price-point.

The mixer appears reasonably sturdy (if lightweight), takes up little space and has a bonus pair of line ins. There are also control room outs and a single quarter-inch headphone socket, plus the data-connection socket for hooking it to the audio module.

The first four channel strips are familiar enough. Each has a low-cut filter at 75Hz, three-band EQ, pan, solo and mute, but a couple of things make it apparent that we're dealing with a decidedly digital device here.

The EQ mid is sweepable and there's also the facility to Q the frequency range, but rather than multiple or concentric rotaries, you've got multi-function rotaries at the right that adjust mids for the eight channels that have EQ controls.

Any changes show up in the backlit LCD, which switches to display whichever parameter you're adjusting. This extends to the Aux controls which are multi-function, too: default is Aux 1, while Aux 2/FX is manipulated via a button-press and knob-twiddle at the right of the console.

Sliders and buttons

Further down, you'd expect to see level sliders, but they're actually rotary pots with centre detents, which could be off-putting to many. Only channels 1 and 2 have an insert FX button, while channels 5 to 12 are grouped as stereo strips (13/14 and 15/16 have levels rotaries only, the former pair playing host to stereo-signal return via USB). A closer look reveals we've moved beyond analogue-type operation.